Identification badge



Feb. 28, 1961 B.. L. NEwELL 2,972,826

IDENTIFICATION BADGE:

Filed July 9, 1959 IDENTIFICATION HERE /N VE N TOR vantages of ordinary convention badges.

nited States Patent IDENTIFICATION BADGE Bernard L. Newell, Chicago, Ill., assign'or to G eo. Lauterer Corp., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Ilhnois Filed July 9, 1959, Ser. No. 825,982

8 Claims. (Cl. Llll-1.5)

'Ihis invention relates to an identification badge,I and more specifically, to an improved, disposable identification badge, particularly adapted for use by persons attending conventions, banquets, meetings and the like.

The identification badge ordinarily given out at conventions and other meetings comprises a clear plastic envelope containing a card bearing the wearers name and having at its rear a metal attachment pin. To mount the badge, the user thrusts the pin through his lapel or other portion of his garment and then locks the free end of the pin in a safety catch at the back of the badge.

Not only is such a badge inconvenient and awkward to mount, but a wearers garment may be disiigured and, in some cases, permanently damaged bythe attaching pin. Such damage is likely to be increased, should the user nd it necessary to remove and replace the badge a number of times, since threading the pin through the original holes in the garment tends to enlarge such holes, and re-mounting the badge in a new location simply serves to develop new holes which further injure the garments fabric. In addition, the pins of conventional identification badges make it difficult for users to place them in purses or in pockets when such badges are temporarily unneeded but must be retained for later use.

Aside from the likelihood of damage to wearers garments and the attachment problems arising in connection with ordinary convention badges, such badges are relatively expensive because of their plastic envelopes or folders. Also, such envelopes make it difficult for secretaries or othe1 persons to prepare the badges for use since the envelopes must first be opened, the identification cards then inserted, and finally the backs of the envelopes must be locked in closed condition. Such manipulating steps require time and, where hundreds or even thousands of such badges must be prepared, the time and resulting expense may be considerable.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned defects and disad- Specifically, it is an object to provide an identification badge which may be easily manipulated and attached by a user and which will not damage his clothing. A further object is to provide an inexpensive badge consisting of only two elements which may be easily and quickly assembled in preparing the badge for use.

Other objects will appear from the specification and` the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fully assembled badge embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the badge with the front panel of the card in raised condition;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an unfolded card adapted for use as an element of the badge assembly;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a clamp comprising an element of the present combination;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the card and clamp as they are being assembled;

PatentedFeb. 28, 1961 firs Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the front panel in folded and locked condition; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the badge mounted upon the pocket ap of a garment.

In the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a convention identification badge consisting essentially of a folded card A and a spring clamp B. While card A may be formed from plastic or paper stock or from any other suitable sheet material, heavy paper or cardboard having a glazed outer surface has been found particularly effective. The spring clamp B may be formed from metal, plastic or any other material having the desired characteristics of strength and flexibility.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, card A is generally rectangular in shape and is provided with a scored transverse fold line 11 which divides the card into a pair of sections or panels 12 and 13. When the card is folded along line 11, section 12 becomes a rear panel while section 13 constitutes a front panel, the two panels being hingedly joined along their upper edges (Fig. l). Except for a lower tab extension 14 of front panel 13, the two panels are of substantially the same size and rectangular shape.

Referring again to Fig. 3, it will be seen that rear panel 12 is provided with a pair of openings 15 and 16 spaced along the cards longitudinal midline. Opening 15 is located adjacent fold line 11 while opening 16 is disposed adjacent the panels lower edge when the card is in the folded condition represented in Figs. 1, 6 and 7. Preferably, opening 16 is elongated in the direction of the cards longitudinal midline (or vertically when the card is positioned for wear) so as to facilitate attachment of the spring clamp B.

The spring clamp is illustrated most clearly in Figs. 4-7 and comprises a thin strip of metal or other material turned rearwardly upon itself to provide a pair of depending spring arms 17 and 18 joined by an integral and curved connecting portion 19. Reararm 1S is substantially straight except for its bottom portion 20 which extends below the free end of the front arm 17 and which may be inclined rearwardly away from the front arm. The front arm is also generally straight except for a forwardly and upwardly curved hook portion 21 at its lower end. As shown in Fig. 5, the tip of the hook is spaced from the front surface of arm 17 and the outer surface of the hook is smooth and curved. The spring tension of the clamp normally maintains the opposing lower surfaces of the front and reararms in contact with each other.

The parts are assembled while card A is in the open condition illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. The free end of the clamps reararm 18 is urged rearwardly and downwardly through opening 15, the reararrn sliding downwardly along the rear surface of panel 12 while the front arm 17 slides downwardly along the front surface of that panel. When the curved hook portion 21 of arm 17 rea-ches the lower opening 16, the lower end of panel 12 is bent forwardly while downward sliding movement of the clip or clamp is continued, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5. As a result, the lower 4portion of the front arm with its curved hook passes rearwardly through opening 16 and into the nal position illustrated 'in Figs. 2 and 6. The clamp B is thereby locked against vertical movement with reference to card A, since in the absence of distortion of the rear panel, the edges of opening 15 cooperate with the curved connecting portion 19 of the clamp to prevent relative movement of the parts along the cards longitudinal midline. Also, it will be noted that even if the upper portion of the rear panel is bent to permit relative upward movement of the clamp, such upward movement will be limited by engagement between hook 21 and the rear panels lower edge.

Relative lateral movement is, of course, prevented, by engagement between the edges of openings and 1d and the connecting portion and front arm of the clamp. Thus, in locked position the clamp is held against both longitudinal and lateral movement with reference to the'card, the reararm 18 of the clamp extending downwardly along the rear surface of panel 12 from opening 15 and the front arm 17 having an upper portion extending along the front of panel 12 between openings 15 and 16 and a lower portion engaging the reararm below opening 16 and behind the rear panel.

After the parts have been assembled as shown in Fig. 2, front panel 13 is folded downwardly about its hinge line and is flexed or bowed for insertion of the depending tab portion 1d into the opening of hook 21. Consequently, the cover or front panel is secured by the hook in the folded condition illustrated in Figs, 1 and 6. Preferably, both of the arms 17 and 18 are substantially longer than the distance between opening 15 and the lower edge of rear panel 12. the front arm being substantially the same length as the distance between that opening and the lower edge of tab 14 when the card is folded. However, it is to be understood that where concealment by hook portion 21 of symbols imprinted upon the face of front panel 13 poses no problem, tab 14 may be eliminated and front arm 17 (as well as reararm 18) may be substantially shorter.

While insertion of the clamp and the relative lpositions of the parts at different stages in the insertion operation have been described in considerable length, the actual operation may be performed very quickly. In preparing a badge for use, the name or other identification of the prospective wearer `is written or printed upon the face of the front panel and thereafter, in one swift movement, clamp B is inserted through the openings into the position shown in Fig. 2. The cover or front panel is then folded downwardly and locked in closed position (Fig. l) and the badge is ready for use.

To mount the badge, a user simply slips the reararm 18 into a breast pocket with the front arm and the folded card carried thereby sliding downwardly along the pockets outer surface. The fabric of the pocket, identifed in Fig. 7 by the numeral 22, is thereby snuggly clamped between the reararm 18 and the rear surfaces of panel 12 and the lower portion of arm 17. It is to be noted that in the operation of mounting the badge, the downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion 2d of the reararm and the curved undersurface of hook 21 serve to guide the portion of the garment and assist in spreading the spring arms apart. Thus, hook portion 21 of the front arm performs the dual functions of securing the outer or front panel in place and also guiding a portion of a wearers garment between the spring arms of the clamp. it is to be understood, of course, that the badge need not be mounted upon a pocket but that it may be secured to various portions of a garment. For example, the free end of the reararm may be urged through a buttonhole, the front arm (and card) then being disposed along the outer surface of a garment while the reararm is moved into position against the inner surface of that garment.

The badge may also be conveniently mounted or clamped upon handbag straps, belts, etc. In any case, the attachment of the badge arises from the clamping force applied by the spring arms of member B and therefore, the mounting of the badge does not require perforation or result in damage or defacement of a garment. Furthermore, it is believed apparent that the badge may be readily mounted and rearmoved without danger of in'- juring either the wearer himself or his garment in contrast to conventional badges with'their pin attaching means which might easily cause such injury, especially when a user tries to mount such a badge hastily.

While in the foregoing l have disclosed an embodiment of the present invention in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

i claim: Y

l. An identification badge comprising' an identification card having front and rear panels hingedly connected along the upper edges thereof, and a spring clamp having a pair of depending spring arms being joined to each other at their upper ends and having their lower end portions normally in surface contact, one of said arms being disposed behind -said rear panel, and the other of said arms being attached to said rear panel and being anchored against movement relative to said card, said other of said arms extending below the bottom edge portions of said front and rear panels and being equipped with means for holding said portions together.

2. The structure of claim l in which said means com,-v

prises a forwardly and upwardly turned hook receiving the bottom edge portion of said front panel.

3. An identification badge comprisingVK an identification card having front and rear panels hingedly connected along the upper edges thereof, said rear panel having spaced upper and lower openings therein, and a spring clamp for attaching said card to a garment, said clamp having depending front and rear spring arms joined at their upper ends and having lower free end portions nor-l mally in surface contact with each other, said rear arm being disposed behind said rear panel and said front arm having an upper portion disposed between said upper and lower openings and between said front and rearl panels, said front arm being equipped with a forwardly and upwardly curved hook'at the lower end thereof forreceiving the bottom portion of said front panel.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said reararm extends below the hook portion of said front arm, said hook portion providing a smooth curved undersurface for the guiding of a garment portion between said spring arms during attachment of said badge.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which the portion of said reararm extending below said hook portion of said front arm is inclined rearwardly and downwardly away from said hook portion.

6. An identification badge comprising an identification card having integrally formed front and rear panels hingedly connected along their upper edges, said rear panel having upper and lower openings spaced along the vertical midline thereof, and a spring metal clamp for securing said card to a garment, said clamp having depending front and rear spring arms connected at their upper ends by an integral intermediate' portion, said reararm being disposed behind said rear panel and said intermediate portion extending through said upper opening, said front arm having an upper portion disposed between said front and rear panels and between said upper and lower openings and having a lower portion extending through said lower opening and disposed behind said rear panel, said front arm also being provided with means at the lower free end thereof for holding the lower portions of said front and rear panels together.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which said means cornprises a forwardly and upwardly curved hook for receiving the bottom edge portion of said front panel.

8. An identification badge comprising an identification card having front and rear panels hingedly connected along the upper edges thereof, said rear panel having spaced upper and lower openings therein, and a spring clamp for attaching said card toV a garment, said clamp having depending front and rear spring arms joined at their uppe'rends' and havinglowerl free end panels and being equipped with means .for holding the i bottom edge portions of said panels together.

t. 6 References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,935,312` `cook Nov. 14, 1933 `2123,8ooyPowell July 12, 193s 2,618,086 "Komorous Nov. 18, 1952 

